ISHS Acta Horticulturae 822: VI International Pineapple Symposium
PINEAPPLE GENETIC IMPROVEMENT IN BRAZIL |
| Authors: | J.R.S. Cabral, A.P. de Matos, D.T. Junghans, F.V.D. Souza |
| Keywords: | Ananas comosus var. comosus, genetic resources, breeding, cultivars |
| Abstract:
Pineapple genetic improvement in Brazil started with taxonomic studies on the genus Ananas and the description of species and cultivars present in the country. Thereafter, works related to germplasm characterization, cultivar evaluation, generation and evaluation of hybrids were carried out by the Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Estado do Rio de Janeiro and by the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas from 1978 to 1997. The most complete program of pineapple genetic improvement in Brazil has been the one carried out by Embrapa Cassava & Tropical Fruits since 1978. The objective of this program has been to develop cultivars resistant to fusariosis disease, the main constraint of the pineapple crop in Brazil, with good fruit quality and spineless leaves. Some of the most relevant results obtained are the following: formation and maintenance of the Pineapple Active Germplasm Bank composed by 627 accessions under field conditions and 146 accessions under in vitro preservation; development of a technique for early evaluation of pineapple resistance to fusariosis based on artificial inoculation; identification of 122 sources of resistance to fusariosis; recommendation of the cultivars Primavera and Perolera, both resistant to fusariosis; creation of 60,537 hybrids; field evaluation of 30,462 hybrids that showed resistance to fusariosis; preliminary selection of 49 promising hybrids that are in several evaluation phases; recommendation of the hybrid cultivars Imperial and Vitoria with resistance to fusariosis and other superior attributes. The model of genetic herdability was determined and studies are underway to select molecular markers for identification of resistant genotypes at seedling stage. From the year 2002, backcrosses and crosses between selected hybrids have been performed and their progenies are under evaluation. Several self pollinated genotypes were obtained from the cultivars Perolera, Primavera, Roxo de Tefé and Smooth Cayenne that are under evaluation in order to be used as parental in crosses towards progenies with lower segregation level. In 2004 a specific breeding program for ornamental pineapples was started. 22 genotypes with promising ornamental qualities have been preliminarily selected and are being evaluated. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
